CABANATUAN CITY — House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez expressed optimism that the P29 per kilo of rice will be widely available in the market with initiatives like the BBM Rice of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
Romualdez, along with Senior Deputy Speake Aurelio Gonzales (3rd District, Pampanga), Rep. Zaldy Co (Ako Bicol Partylist) and NIA chief Eddie Guillen, led the grand launch of “Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka Rice (BBM Rice) at the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-UPRIIS) main office here Friday.
“Kami po sa Kongreso, sama-sama kaming lahat dito sa programa ng NIA na food security kaya sinusuportahan po natin ang NIA dito sa contract farming, sa mga projects at initiatives ni Admin Guillen,” Romualdez said.
At least 1,500 10-kilo bags of well-milled rice were sold at subsidized price of P29 a kilo to identified vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, persons with disability, solo parents and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program during the event.
BBM Rice is sourced from farmers across the country who participate in NIA’s contract farming program, said to Guillen.
This initiative, he explained, is “aligned with Pres. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to strengthen food security and promote sustainable economic growth, further advancing the goals of Bagong Pilipinas.”
The program was held here as Marcos, Jr. was leading the roll out of the Agri-Puhunan and Farmers Pantawid that benefitted thousands of farmers from Central Luzon held at the Our Lady of Sacred Heart College in Guimba, Nueva Ecija.
The chief executive also led another activity for agrarian reform beneficiaries in Palayan City.
